All This Time
by XxThe Penny TreasurexX
Summary: What if Tony and Pepper met along time ago? But what if they still didn't know it now? I know summary sucks, I'm never good at them but the story is much better...Pepperony!
1. Flashbacks

(Disclaimer: I own nothing) Well this is a story idea I came up with a while back and I'm just gonna write a short story to hopefully help get rid of my witer's block:) Also this story has none of the characters I made up in my past stories just incase you've read them, this story doesn't follow them:)

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"Pepper honey I want you to clean your room okay." Mr. Potts said to his daughter. He was about to leave for work.

"Yes dad I will." Pepper said.

"Okay. Love you" He said as he left. Pepper went up to her room and started to clean up.

"Wow, I haven't been through this stuff in years." Pepper said to herself. She started going through boxes of old stuff to throw out when she came across an old photo.

"Oh my gosh. I haven't thought of him in years." She said to herself as she looked at the old photo. It had a young Pepper in it wearing a ruffeled flowered top and shorts and had a pony tail and standing next to her was a boy about the same age wearing a red colored top and blue shorts. They looked about 5 or 6 years old.

"I can't believe I found this picture." Pepper said, all of a sudden flasbacks started entering her mind.

**_10 years ago_**

_"Daddy why do I have to be here. It's so boring." The young red head girl asked._

_"Because honey I'm here on business and your mom is at work so I can't leave you home alone." The young girl's father said._

_"Fine." She said. They arrived at a big tall building and when they went inside everone seemed happy. Everyone was smiling and talking, but what caught the young girl's eye was a boy, seemed to be about her age. He had brown hair and blue eyes and a nice smile on his face as he looked at the young girl._

_"Come on honey." Her dad said as they walked over to a big door, which was the CEO office. They walked inside and saw a man sitting at his desk. He looked up and smiled at them and walked over to them._

_"Hello. You must be Mr. Potts." The man asked._

_"Yes, and this is my daughter Patricia." Her father said._

_"Why hello there. My names Howard." The young girl shook his hand and smiled up at him._

_"How old is she?" Howard asked._

_"She's almost six." Her father said._

_You know I have a son around her age." Howard said._

_"Really? Can she play with him while we're here? She can get bored really easy." Mr. Potts said._

_"Sure. He's supposed to be over there in that other room." Howard said._

_"Okay. Honey why don't you go over there." Her dad said. The young girl did what she was told and went inside. She saw the young boy that she saw out in the lobby. She walked over to him._

_"Hi." She said sweetly._

_"Hi. Who are you?" The young boy asked._

_"My names Patricia." She said._ (A/N: In this story Pepper doesn't get her nickname until later)

_"I'm Tony." He said._

_"Do you want to play?" She asked._

_"Sure." He said. The whole afternoon they played together. Later on her father came in and told her they had to leave._

_"Aw, can we stay 5 more minutes?" She asked._

_"No, I'm sorry. But we'll be back next week." He said and they left. The week after they did come back, and the two kids remembered each other. Another couple of months went by and they played with each other and told each other everything. They were best friends...until one day,. that was all about to change._

_"Really? We have to move?" Mr. Potts asked his wife._

_"I'm afraid so. My job is to far that we have to move to Virginia." His wife said._

_"Aw, Patricia's going to be really upset. She's made such good friends with Tony. But I guesss we don't have a choice. I'll go tell her." He said. He walked into his daughter's room, he saw her playing with her toys._

_"Honey, I need to talk to you." He said._

_"What about daddy?" She asked._

_"We..have to move sweet heart." He said._

_"Move? When are we coming back?" She asked._

_"Um, we aren't honey. I don't think we'll be able to. See mommy's job is moving her to a different office in Virginia so we have to move there." He said._

_"But if we go..I'll never see Tony again will I?" She asked, tears strting to build up in her eyes._

_"I'm afraid so." He said._

_"...Can..can I say good-bye to him?" She asked as a tear escaped her eye._

_"Sure. We leave tomorrow morning so I'll drive you over there now." He said. They got in the car and headed over to Stark International. When they got inside Patricia went over to where Tony always was._

_"T-Tony?" She asked as she tried to hold back the tears._

_"Patricia hey! I didn't know you were coming today. What are you doing here?" He asked._

_"I-I'm moving." She said, he saw the sadness in her eyes telling him that she wasn't kidding._

_"But..But why?" Tony asked._

_"My mommy's got a new job and we have to move." She said._

_"That's not fair! How long have you known about this?!!" He asked, he seemed really mad._

_"I just found out today Tony. I'm sorry." She said._

_"I'll never see you again?" He asked._

_"I guess so." She said. She had to get going so they quickly hugged and She left, giving Tony one last look before they left._

**_Now_**

Pepper let a tear go down her cheek.

"I can't believe how much time has past." She said to herself.

"I really miss him now." Pepper said as tears started to pour down her cheeks and she layed down on her bed and stared at the picture of them together.

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**_I hoped you liked it. Please tell me if I should continue or not, please review:)_**


	2. Now

(Disclaimer: I own nothing) Well here's the next chapter. I've been thinking and I think I'm gonna make this into a three-shot. So the next chapter might be the last one, I'm not completely sure but please enjoy:)

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Pepper layed on her bed. Starting to think about all the fun memories when there was a knock at the door.

"Coming!" She yelled. She opened the door and she saw Tony and Rhodey there.

"Oh hey guys. What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Well you weren't answering your phone so we thought we'd come by and get you." Tony said.

"Oh, I forgot to turn my phone on, sorry but I can't go to the lab today. My dad said I have to clean my room or I'm grounded. But...you guys could help me" She said with her best smile.

"Umm..--"

"Pleaseee" She cut Tony off as she begged.

"Fine." They both said, and Tony and Rhodey came in.

"I'll be right in there, I just have to get the vacuum cleaner out of the closet." She said, Tony and Rhodey went in her room and strted picking up candy wrappers and soda bottels.

"No wonder this girl is always hypper, look how much soda she drinks." Rhodey said. Tony chukeled a little but then something caught his eye.

"Het what's this?" Tony asked, he saw a picture of a girl with red hair standing next to a young boy her age with her arm wrapped around his shoulder playfully.

"That's probably Pepper and a friend of hers. Are you going to help me Tony?" Rhodey asked in frustration.

"Yeah I will...this picture..looks frimiler, like I've seen her before." Tony said.

"I told you it's probably Pepper, of course she looks frmilir." Rhodey said.

"Yeah but--" Tony was cut off by the door opening, Pepper came in with the vaccum and she started cleaning with them. About an hour later they were done. They all collased on her bed.

"Ugh, I hate cleaning." Pepper said.

Yeah, well at least it's done." Tony said.

"Thanks you guys for helping me." She said.

"You're welcome." Rhodey said. Pepper got up and started walking around and Tony got u too.

"Hey Pepper, is that you?" He asked pointing at the picture.

"Yeah, I know I look dorky but it's one of my favorite pictures though." She said. She noticed Tony kept looking at the picture.

"What's wrong?" She asked curiously.

"Um..nothing. So, who is this boy?" Tony asked.

"He was my friend. When I was younger I met a boy in a big building, I can't remember what the building was called but my dad had to do buisness there with this boy's dad so evertime my dad went he would take me with him. We would always play and everythingbut..one day I had to move and we had tsay good-bye to each other. Then when I was 14 my parents divorced and me and my dad moved back here but..I never saw him again." She said. As she was telling the story she noticed Tony's eyes were getting wide.

"Um, we have to go. Come on Rhodey." Tony said quickly.

"But why--ah" Tony dragged Rhodey out of the room and out Pepper's house, leaving her very confused.

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"Tony what was that about!" Rhodey said as soon as they were in the lab.

"I can't believe it! All this time, it was her!" Tony yelled.

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**_ Wow, I'm nothing but short chapters today huh. I'm sorry, but this one I wrote short on purpose because like I said I wanted to make this into a three-shot. So please reivew, the next chapter should be longer:) _**


	3. Every Ending is Just a New Beginning

(Disclaimer: I own nothing) Hey guys, sorry for all the spelling erros in the last chapter. The doc. Manager wasn't working and I didn't know how long it would be out so I just updated anyways, knowing it was just the rough draft. Anyways here's the last chapter...

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"What are you talking about?" Rhodey asked confused.

"When Pepper was telling that story...it reminded me." Tony said.

"Still..I don't understand Tony" Rhodey said, a little annoyed.

"That boy..that boy in the picture, the one from her past...is me." Tony said quietly but loud enough that Rhodey did hear it with widen eyes in shock.

"W-What? What do you mean it was you?" Rhodey said in shock.

"It was me. When I was young..way before we met, a young girl came into Stark Tower one day with her dad and...I don't know we just started being friends, until she had to move..then, I never thought we'd see each other again." Tony said. Rhodey let out a deep sigh.

"So..are you going to tell her?" Rhodey asked.

"I don't know? I mean...should I?" Tony asked.

"I guess, you should." Rhodey said.

"Maybe...But how do I even start?! She could even freak out, or she might not even believe me Rhodey!" Tony said.

"Well, there's only one way to find out Tony. Go tell her now." Rhodey said. Tony nodded and left the lab, all the way to her house he was to focused on what to say to her. When he reached her house he was about to knock when..he chicken out. He ran home or, well back to the lab. When he came back to the lab, almost out of breath Rhodey was confused.

"What are you doing back here? I thought you were going to go talk to Pepper." Rhodey asked.

"I..I was but I-I can't. I don't know why but, I just don't even know where to start Rhodey. What if she gets mad at me or what if she--"

"Tony! Look, no matter how awkward it may be..you need to tell her." Rhodey said.

"I know I know Rhodey but..how? How can I explain this to her with out freaking her out?" Tony asked in frustration.

"I..don't know Tony. Maybe it's just better to just say it to her. She won't freak out, she'll probably happy Tony. Did you ever think of that?!" Rhodey asked.

"Yeah, maybe she would. But..." Tony sighed heavily and sat down on one of the lab chairs. "I still feel as if she would be mad or something." Tony said.

"Why would she be mad? She would be happy and grateful and would be thankful that you actually told her." Rhodey said.

"Okay Rhodey I'll--" Tony was cut off by the lab doors opening, revealing Pepper coming in with a smile on her face.

"Uh..hi Pepper." Tony said nervously.

"Um, I'm going to go..my uh mom probably wants me home." Rhodey lied so Tony can talk to her. With Rhodey gone, Tony could the feel tension build up in him.

"Are you okay Tony?" Pepper asked, still not letting the small smile escape her lips.

"Uh..yeah. Look Pepper, I need to tell you something." He started.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"Um..Look when you were telling your story about um your old freind..um that was--"

"You." She said with the same smile.

"H-How did you know?! I thought--"

"You know you really need to sound proof the lab a bit more." She said.

"Oh..so..you heard?" He asked nervously with him turning red as his shrit.

"Yes. At first I couldn't believe it but now..seeing your face and everything, just makes me remember all the fun times _we _had." She said.

"Yeah, we did. And..even though we were only six...I still had a crush on you." Tony said it before he could even stop himself. After he said it he felt like kicking himself.

"Y-You did?" She asked with astonishment.

"Uh...um, yeah." He said awkwardly. Pepper gave a bright smile towards him.

"That's funny 'cause..I had one on you too." She said, still beaming.

"R-really?!" He asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. You were and still are my best friend. Everytime we spent the day together I always felt..."

"Content." He said as he finished her sentence.

"Yeah. I always felt good around you. Those few months I knew you were the best." She said.

"I felt the same way....So what now?" He asked, he mentally scowled himself for asking such a stupid question.

"...I love you." She said quietly.

"W-What? You love me?" He asked, very shocked. She cleared her throat.

"Yes." She said as she looked into his eyes, those eyes she could get lost in.

"I love you too. I've always have." He said. He stepped a little closer to her until he closed the gap between them. After what seemed like hours, they pulled apart. Pepper was still blushing scarlet red, but in a good way. There was a minute of awkward silence until one of them spoke.

"Um, so..you wanna go get some food?" He asked awkwardly.

"Sure." She said with the sweetest smile. As they walked out Tony put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a tight embrace as they walked out of the lab.

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_**Well that's it:) I know, sappy ending. I'm a sucker for romance. But tell me if you want me to make a sequel or not and I'll think about it:) Please review:)**_


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